Tikis are things of the past, and possibly, the wave of the future when it comes to home decor.

The carved totems had their heyday in 1950s and '60s when tiki bars and Polynesian restaurants were all the rage.

While some of those places have closed their doors, other exotically themed eateries like Islands have taken their place.

You can also find tikis tucked into the nooks of desert gardens, in the art of Nat Reed, grandson of tiki pioneer Eli Hedley, and in books like “Tiki Modern” by Sven Kirsten.

On June 20, the magic of tikis will be celebrated at Just Fabulous' Tiki Rama party from 3 to 7 p.m.

“Tikis have a huge following,” said Stephen Monkarsh, owner of the the Palm Springs. book and gift shop. “They're really fun, and people just really seem to like them.”

Tikis may be experiencing a renaissance of sorts, but they've actually been a part of American's fascination with the exotic since the post-World War II years, according to unabashed tiki connoisseur, Dirk Yates of Cathedral City.

Yates' home is a bit of tropical paradise in the desert. The walk is lined with pink hibiscus, bamboo and tikis guarding the door.

Inside, it is a veritable temple of tikis. They are everywhere.

Tiki cups and glasses fill the bar cabinets, shelves in the kitchen are protected by teacups and salt and pepper shakers, masks line the walls along with Yates' own tiki art.

“It's all over,” he said with a laugh.

His obsession with wood, ceramic and glass versions of the Polynesian gods “all started with my mom taking me to Sunday brunches at Don the Beachcomber's in Palm Springs,” the Coachella Valley native said.

His mother, Mernell Wong of Palm Desert, also visited friends in Hawaii several times, sending tikis to add to the collection of her landlocked son.

Yates' fascination snowballed when he moved to the Midwest after high school to start his own business.

“I missed the warmth and the tikis reminded me of that,” he said.

Yates is a font of tiki knowledge — he knows about the rise of the culture, the gods and even the menehunes (sort of Hawaiian leprechauns).

He collection is eclectic. It features highly sought-after collectibles, like a tiki mug designed by actor Stephen Crane, and salt and pepper shakers from the original Trader Vic's.

Mention Eli Hedley, the godfather of tikis, and Yates' eyes crinkle with glee. “He designed the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland,” he acsays.

“The funny thing is, most people who are tiki lovers have never been to the islands,” he said. “I've never been to the islands, but I love the magic.”

Sitting in Yates' living room, thumbing through Sven Kirsten's “Tiki Modern” book, Wong says it's not just fanatics like her son who are into tikis.

“I live in a gated community and have a tiki in my back yard,” she said. “They add to the atmosphere. And I can tell, at least five other homes have done the same thing.”

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“Jupiter to Mars” by Nat Reed

Tiki collector Dirk Yates has hundreds of tikis displayed in his Cathedral City home. Above, from left, Yates’ collection includes tiki mugs, menehune figurines, salt and pepper shakers from Trader Vic’s restaurant and pirate collectibles. The bobblehead tiki at top is also from Yates’ collection. (Crystal Chatham, The Desert Sun)

TIKI PARTY
What: Just Fabulous Tiki-Rama anniversary and book-signing party

When: 3 to 7 p.m. June 20

Where: Just Fabulous, 515 N. Palm Canyon Drive, Palm Springs

Details: Author Sven Kristen will sign copies of “Tiki Modern,” artwork by Nat Reed, best “tiki” outfit contest with prizes, refreshments provided by Jensen's.
Cost: Free; must purchase book to have it signed.

Information: (760) 864-1300; bjustfabulous.com

Family tradition

As the grandson of tiki innovator Eli Hedley, Nat Reed is an artist who can't seem to escape the carved gods. Nor does he want to.
Hedley had moved to California out of the Dustbowl of the Depression, finally settling with this wife and four daughters in San Pedro. He built a house mostly out of driftwood and became enamored with tiki culture.

He would eventually go on to help create the atmosphere of Donn Beach's Don the Beachcomber restaurants, as a set decorator on tropical movies and Disneyland's Enchanted Tiki Room.

“I grew up with all that tropical decorating and I guess it always has been a part of my life,” Reed said.

The tikis go with his Midcentury Modern-inspired art, either in stand-alone pieces or adding a touch of whimsy to an ultra-modern scene.
“I started out doing straight representational art and the tikis just found their way in,” he said with a bit of a laugh.

You can check out Reed's art at natreed.com.

come join the party out here in the springs with a great day of tiki history and Art. 3pm-7pm at Just Fabulous.

Well everyone should come out for this event ... its sure to be a fun time for all. What a great article from Judith Salkin at the Desert Sun!! Tiki culture is alive and well ... but we already knew that!

Nice long article! A little "loose" on some of the facts, but hey. It covers a lot of ground, and spreads the gospel.

So if there are any desert dwellers out there that don't have a personalized copy of Tiki Modern yet, come on by the store, and I will add my ink. There will be munchies and drinkies and Nat's fun art: